What Happened Afterwards
by Deja Know I Been Lookin For Vu
Summary: A Donkey/Dragon story about what could have happened after the first Shrek.
1. A House

**Title: ****What Happened Afterwards****  
****Author: Deja Vu**  
**Summary: A Donkey/Dragon story about what could have happened after the first Shrek.**  
**Rating: Mild language, a little violence.**  
**Disclaimer: I don't own Shrek, but this story is mine.**  
**Characters: Donkey, Dragon, and others.**

* * *

Now that the wedding festivities were finally over and everything was cleaned up, Donkey started to trot into Shrek's home to take a nap.

He was followed by his female partner, who abruptly stopped.

"Whaz wrong?" he craned his long neck back and then looked sheepish. "Oh. You're not gonna fit. Of course you're not gonna fit. You're a dragon. Shrek's an ogre. You're bigger than him."

The long-lashed dragon just looked sadly at him and then began to walk away.

Scampering quickly, he ran in front of her. "Aw, I'm not goin' inside if you're not!" His brow furrowed for a moment, then his face brightened, and one could practically see the lightbulb above his head. "I know! How about we go live at your castle?"

She made a face. Evidently she didn't like that idea.

"Why not?"

Making a circle in the dirt with a claw, the dragon shrugged. She pointed to her neck, mimed a sword being stuck into the ground and herself getting strangled.

"Ahh. Bad memories huh?"

She nodded.

"Well, uh..." Another lightbulb. "How 'bout we make a house here in the swamp? Then we could be next to Shrek and Fiona and go visit!" Donkey seemed pleased with himself. "Yeah! Then we'd be all neighborly-like and be able to go over to their house and ask for a cup of sugar!" He frowned, "'Course, I don't think Shrek even _likes_ sugar...That boy has got to start eating a larger variety! And I'm not talkin' about no weedrats, either!" Donkey's eyes widened. "Speaking of variety, what do _you_ eat?"

She thought about it for a moment and then let out a hoarse sound that somewhat resembled a moo.

"I don't think I've heard of Grroos before...Anything else?"

Looking a little perturbed, she tried to put horns above her head like those of a cow's.

"Nope, I don't think there are any devils around this part. What else?"

Narrowing her eyes, she pantomimed udders and squeezing milk out of them.

"No, I'm not gonna let you eat no money. Now. tell me what you really eat."

This time she showed the size of a cow. But, of course, a cow was near the size of a donkey.

"What?" his eyes widened. "Nuh uh! I ain't letting you eat me!...How about hamburgers? Everybody likes hamburgers!"

She rolled her eyes and gave him a big, dragon peck on the cheek. He could be so clueless at times.

Donkey blushed and waved a hoof at her in the air sheepishly. "Aww, stop it," he chuckled. Then he changed the subject. "How about we ask the Three Little Pigs—they owe us, you know—for some bricks, and you could carry them, and I could design and supervise the house, and maybe some fairies or something might help us get the job done quickly! It'll be fun! And I can make some refreshin' lemonade and wear a really cool hat! I'm not talkin' about those lil' dinky ones, no, I'm gonna get me a _manly_ hat..."

Donkey continued his rambling, and his female companion just smiled at him.

* * *

"Whaddaya mean you ain't gonna help us build? We helped you, ya know, and it wasn't no peas and carrots neither!"

"You don't _need_ our help," the purple fairy shrugged.

"Yes, we do!" Donkey insisted.

"Fine," the little voice squeaked.

A cascade of sparkling dust fell on Donkey's "lady friend," causing her to sneeze.

"Well?"

"I helped you." Mentally, the fairy added, _In more ways than one._

"You didn't help us, twinkle-bugs, you just made her _sneeze_!"

Grinning, the dragon shook her head in amusement. "Silly Donkey."

"I am not s—" Donkey's eyes were wide with surprise. "You spoke!" he exclaimed.

The dragon's own eyes widened, "I did!"

Her voice was deep and warm, and both seemed surprised at hearing it.

"Hey—" Donkey turned to speak to the fairy, but she was gone. "Where'd she go?"

The dragon shrugged.

"While I'm thinking about it, what do you want me to call you? Unless you like being called Dragon?"

She thought about it for a moment and then answered, "Dalia."

He shrugged. "All right. Dalia. That's a pretty name...Dalia. I like it!"

* * *

"Nuttin' I like better'n a candle-light dinner." Donkey thought about it for a moment. "Come to think of it, I ain't never had a candle-lit dinner...But I'm sure it'll be great wit'you!"

They hadn't gotten very far on their house, but they stole Shrek's table, found some disgusting-looking candles, and went out and got some Kingdom burgers at McDuloc's, although the cashier had looked rather surprised at his huge order until he saw the large dragon waiting outside.

And so they were out under the stars, Dalia batting her eyes at Donkey.

"You get somethin' in your eye again? Maybe you better get some eyedrops or sometin'."

Dalia swallowed ten burgers whole at one time, "Mmm, delicious."

"Man you better watch yourself, scarfin' down those burgers like that. You'll get indigestion or dyspoopsia, or whatever they call that."

"Dyspepsia?"

"Dat's what I said, woman!" Donkey grinned, nibbling on his food, and sipping his Ultra-Incredibly-Large-And-Fit-For-A-King soft drink through a straw. "Man, why do they only have kiddie meals with toys? Us ad-ults enjoy a happy plastic face every now and then!"

Grinning, Dalia snuck her short arm towards Donkey's tail...


	2. Dark Towers and Armor

Donkey surveyed the sorry pile of bricks with a skeptical eye. "Dis ain't goin' so well."

Dalia shook her head in agreement.

"D'you know anyone that might be able ta help?" Donkey inquired.

Dalia looked thoughtful, "I used to know a Genie—"

"Well, that's great!"

"—but he's now owned by this really evil guy who can get unlimited wishes from him."

"Oh."

"If you're not up for it—"

"Oh, who says I ain't up for it?! Geeze, I laugh in the face of danger!" Donkey exclaimed.

"Okay. Put on your diapers, because I'm ready to go!"

Dalia scooped Donkey up onto her back, and he asked, a little perturbed, "Why diapers?"

"For when you wet your pants," the dragon grinned, taking off into the air and almost losing her passenger.

"Hey slow down, woman! I ain't ready to lose my lunch!"

"We have quite a journey ahead of us," she replied. "It'll take forever if I go slow."

"Yeah, well, you won't need to bother goin' if you drop me, because it would take days to clean up my guts from a fall at this height!"

Smirking, Dalia picked up speed, ignoring the screaming pack animal on her back.

* * *

The dragon had eventually slowed down a little, and they were soon above their destination.

Looking down at the dark towers, Donkey winced. "About this evil dude—were you just exaggeratin', or is he really as messed up as his choice of home seems to say he is? I mean, would it've been more appropriate for us to come in here wit' guns blazin', or will we actually be able to take him on alone?"

"We don't have any guns, Donkey," Dalia reminded him.

"What? No guns!? Aw man, we're really messed up now," Donkey whined, looking like he was about to hop off Dalia, sprout wings, and fly into the opposite direction. "Where's an ogre when you need one? Oh, that's right—I forgot, he's on his _honeymoon_! I'd much rather be on my honeymoon than flying towards some really evil Genie-wielding—"

Dalia grinned, "Are you trying to ask me something, Donkey?" The pack animal's eyes widened at what she was suggesting, and before he could say something about not being ready for that kind of commitment, the dragon rolled her eyes and spoke, "I think I can handle the man."

"Yeah, but remember, you said so yourself, dis guy has a genie! And infinite wishes! That doesn't rate high on the list of possible guys to take on and survive!"

Laughing, the dragon set down on the ground, which was covered with damp, silver stones. Rain came down upon them, and angry black clouds surrounded the castle. Donkey looked at them skeptically. "How come it's all dark and stormy over here, but over dere—" he gestured with a hoof, "—it's all pretty-like?"

"That's the nature of the beast, I guess," Dalia shrugged.

Donkey glanced at her, a strange look on his furry face. Then he broke into a grin, "Now that's funny."

"What?"

"Well, you said it was the nature of the beast, and _you're_ a beast," the donkey chuckled.

The dragon's eyes narrowed. "You're a beast, too."

"Yeah, but you're ever so much more beastly than m—" Donkey cut off when he saw the fire curling out of Dalia's nostrils. He backtracked, "Uh, I mean, you're a very pretty, very very lovely beast. Me, I'm just some butt-faced, no-good donkey, an all-around jack ass."

Dalia tried to keep her angry expression, but she couldn't help breaking into a smile. It was hard to stay mad at him for long, even if he _did_ have a big mouth. "Let's just go inside," she suggested, willing to put the incident behind them.

They walked up to the large wooden doors that could have fit the dragon inside easily. They creaked open ominously by themselves, and Donkey turned and looked at Dalia, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Well, I'd say you have good reason to be," she grinned at him as they walked inside. She thought this adventure was kind of fun.

It was pitch-black inside the castle, but Donkey could make out rows of knights in dull armor lining the walls. He glanced backward, and the door shut with a clang.

Donkey gulped and tried to bring some humor into the situation, "Hey, you want to hear something funny? My dentist's name is James Spaulding."

The dragon just stared at him.

"Okay. So I don't have a dentist. It just seemed like the right thing to say," he grumbled.

"Tink," came a noise from their right.

Ever the nervous one, Donkey swerved to the side. A suit of armor stared at him emotionlessly.

"What's wrong?"

"Didn't ya hear that?" Donkey frowned.

Dalia shook her head, and the two started forward.

"Tink," it said again, louder this time.

Turning and glaring at the suit of armor, Donkey groaned, "You can't tell me you didn't hear it that time."

The dragon stalked forward and tapped on the suit of armor with a large finger. Clang clang.

No further noise ensued, so, shrugging, she started to walk away.

But then it came again, "Tink tink." After a second, it added, "Ding. Dong. Dong. Ding."

Raising an eyebrow, Donkey rapped on it.

"Tink! Ding! Tink! Dong!"

The dragon lifted up the face piece, and out flew a very agitated fairy. Letting out an exclamation of astonishment, he groaned, "It's the firefly from hell!"

"That's right!" Dalia yelled, watching the bright fairy quickly fly into the darkness.

"Huh?"

"It's Tinkerbell!"

Donkey stared at her for a moment, and then his eyes widened in understanding. "Ah. Ding dong as in a bell. Man, do I feel stupid!"

Smiling, no longer nervous, the two trotted forward on all fours, chatting happily.

That is, until Dalia noticed the moving suit of armor bringing down an ax onto Donkey's head.

"Donkey, look out!" she cried.


	3. Questing

Perhaps it was the rush of adrenaline.

Perhaps it was the unexpected shout.

Whatever the reason, it was without hesitation that Donkey ducked and rushed forward, narrowly avoiding the ax and almost losing his tail in the process.

As it was, a few strands of black hair littered the floor.

Eyes wide, Donkey shouted, "It's the attack of the Tail-Killing Knight!"

Dalia refrained from giving Donkey a strained look, instead growling at the suit of armor and surrounding her companion with legs that served as scaly protectors.

"We are the Knights that say ni!" the suit of armor informed them, gesturing at the other suits of armor, most of which nodded, but a few waved, and one shouted, "Ni!"

The suit of armor that had nearly decapitated Donkey declared, "State your purpose or be executed!"

"We're looking for a g—" Dalia started but was cut off by Donkey, who gave her a warning look.

"A gene...No, uh, I mean, a pair of jeans. You know, to wear."

The knightless suit of armor looked as puzzled as a suit of armor could look. "Why would you need jeans?"

"Ni!" another suit added demandingly.

"I'm very um, uncomfortable about my uh..." Donkey noticed the strands of hair on the ground and almost shouted, "—tail!"

"Admit it," a snobby suit of armor from behind them sniveled. "You came because of the genie. That's what everyone always comes here for. Nothing ever changes, it's always, 'I want the genie to give me this,' and 'I want the genie to give me that.' Always the _same_ blasted thing..."

"There's a genie here?" Donkey tried to play dumb. "Whoa, I didn't know that! I heard that this was the best place to find a good pair of jeans to, uh, 'hide things you don't want to be seen.'" He gave a pointed sideways glance at the dragon, who appeared to be bored.

"Yes, yes," she waved a clawed hand, "—what he said."

The shorter animal gave her a sarcastic glance that clearly said, _Thanks a lot._

She shrugged sweetly as if to say, _Don't mention it._

"If you want us to let you through," the lead suit of armor boomed, "—then you must get us...a glowing green rock."

"Huh? Would you say that again?" Donkey frowned.

"A meteorite that is green...And it glows. Like a nightlight."

"Ooooooooo," the other suits agreed, one again shouting, "Ni!"

"If you don't get it..." the suit of armor fingered his axe threateningly.

For a brief moment, Donkey considered whether Dragon would be able to take out all of the suits of armor, but after looking and seeing that the hall seemed to never end, he decided they shouldn't chance it. Besides, if there _weren't_ anyone beneath the suits, then they couldn't be killed...Right?

Dalia seemed to sense his thoughts, and they both headed back to the entrance. Once they were outside, he complained, "Man. What are the chances of us findin' some blasted glowin' me—Ow!" Donkey looked up at the sky and then down at the ground, where the green rock he'd been talking about had bounced off of his head. "Now what are the odds of _that_ happening?"

The little rock buzzed innocently, and Dalia could've sworn she saw the flash of a struggling red cape in the sky.

"Well, however it happened, we _do_ have the rock, and we might as well go back and give it to them," Dalia suggested.

* * *

Sounding perturbed that they had accomplished their mission so easily, the head suit of armor told them, "That was your _first_ task. Your next task is to uh...to...umm..."

"Find a moosehead!" a little mouse in a red cap and jacket suggested from beside the lead suit of armor's metal foot.

"No," the suit said decisively. "You need to um..."

"Do the Macarena while singing 'Hit Me Baby, One More time!'" the same mouse shouted.

"No," the mouse was again turned down. The suit finally found what it was looking for. "You must...face the Pit of Doom."

"Oooh..."

"Pit of Doom..."

"Yikes..."

"Wouldn't want to be them..."

Different suits muttered different things, exchanging eyeless glances.

"Okay, so we go to this Doomful Pit," Donkey clarified. "Whadda we do there?"

"Well, it's not the pit we want you to go to. It's the cliff above the Neverending Hole that is most often called the Pit of Doom."

"And?"

The head suit of armor sighed. "Get one of the chimera's silver children, of course."

"A killy-what?!" Donkey asked skeptically.

Dalia explained, "A chimera. She breathes fire, has a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail—"

"Wait a minute, you _know_ her?!" Donkey stared at her incredulously.

The dragon shook her head. "I used to know _a_ chimera. All are female, and their children's first form usually differs from chimera to chimera. The chimera I knew had golden children that hadn't shed their skins yet. They were still land-fish with tapering bodies and long, threadlike tails."

"Why would we want to take one of her kids?" the short pack animal tilted his fuzzy, gray head.

The knightless suit shrugged. "It's a challenge that gets you out of our figurative hair. You don't have to kill it, just bring it here. Then you can keep it for all we care."

"All right," Donkey nodded, "—we'll do it."

"What?!" Dalia turned to him with questions in her eyes. "We can't take her baby from her! How would that make _you_ feel?!"

"Look," the donkey said quietly, "—we can get it while the killimanjaro-beast is sleeping, bring it here, and _then_ take it back. She'll never know it's gone!"

"But—"

"So be it," the suit boomed. "Leave us now, or be defeated by the blade!" The suit lightly traced a metal finger on its axe.

"All right. Hold your dang horses," Donkey muttered, trotting toward the entrance with a glaring dragon behind him. "Some people are so impatient."


	4. Chimera Cub

Apparently, the chimera with silver children that the head knightless suit had been talking about wasn't very far away, as they were soon there. Donkey studied their location from his perch atop his lady friend.

They were floating in the air above what looked like a stream of rocks. It wasn't that there was a bunch of rocks jutting out of water—it was just that there were no plants in sight, other than a soft bed of dry leaves and grass that were surrounded on three sides by big boulders.

This was, of course, the chimera's nest. Three silver land-fish tumbled in a playful brawl, and a lone young one looked out curiously at the countless rocks, as if wondering if the scenery would suddenly change.

A small true stream of water floated almost impossibly through a section of the rocks merely a few feet away from the back of the middle boulder.

"So, uh, could you go down there and ask her if we could borrow one?"

"No," Dalia replied surely. "One has to become a chimera's very good friend when they do _not_ have babies to be able to come even remotely near one of the children with permission."

Frowning, Donkey noticed the chimera let out a hearty roar and lead her children out of their protective cave after looking cautiously around first. She took them to the stream behind their nest, nudging them with a velvety nose. They plopped into the water, making startled exclamations of joy. Then they disappeared under the water and played a game of tag.

Donkey whispered, as if afraid the mother chimera would hear him. "Now's our chance! If we can catch one in the water far away from the stream, we can snatch it and fly outta here!"

Dalia craned her neck back to give him a dubious glance, but she shrugged and flew carefully on down the stream, landing behind and several yards to the right of the mother chimera.

Silence was the key, and Donkey slowly headed towards the water, knowing that if Dalia tried to get one of the little ones they would most likely be caught in the action due to her, uh, height.

The lone one from earlier was further down the stream, having a lot of fun all by herself.

She gurgled, spitting water into the air and joyfully running under it.

Looking and feeling like a thief, Donkey crept up to the water and began to snatch the unsuspecting youngster before he realized that he had a problem.

Wide-eyed, he twisted his neck back and whispered rather loudly to his partner-in-crime, "I don't got any hands!"

Big mistake.

With a roar that could have been heard for miles away and was doubtless making the suits of armor snicker, the mother chimera charged at Donkey, spitting out balls of fire.

Donkey shrieked and rushed over to Dalia as fast as his short legs would allow him, the strange beast hot on his trail.

The dragon picked him up and placed him quickly on her back, rising into the air and narrowly avoiding being scorched by the very angry chimera.

They finally got out of the mother's range, and Donkey wheezed, "I sure am glad we lost her!"

Something compelled him to look around at his tail, and his eyes widened when he saw a silver land-fish clamped onto it.

"We got one!" he exclaimed.

The baby chimera released his tail, nearly falling off, but Donkey grabbed her by her tail just in time. Upside down, she whimpered, "Keymee."

"Huh?"

"It means 'mother' in Chimera," Dalia told him, flying toward the castle.

"Aww, don't worry about your mama. Papa Donkey'll take good care of you!"

"Deekah?"

"Yeah, dat's right, I'm ya Deekah!"

The child chomped onto Donkey's tail. Hard.

"_Yowch_!" the pack animal yelled, glaring at the land-fish. "Now, what'd ya go and do that for?!"

Chuckling warmly, the dragon told him, "That means 'food' in Chimera."

"Well, why didn't ya say so in the first place? Geeze, here I am thinkin' the cute little guy thinks I'm his father—"

"It's a girl."

"Well, then, _she_ thought I was—"

"Plub," the cub garbled.

"Now what's it saying?"

"She's getting airsick," Dalia told him, heading for clear land.

"Don't set down now!" Donkey whined. "The castle's just over there! It'll just take a moment to—"

"Would you rather she puked all over you?"

Donkey considered that. "Well, no, not really—"

"Then pipe down!" the dragon snapped.

"Geesh. A guy just wants to get his house built, and what does he get? Snappy replies," Donkey mumbled.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I just hate taking her from her mother. I know I would hate to have my children taken from me."

"We're gonna bring her ba—"

"Yes, but I would still be worried sick in the meantime!"

"Chim. Mee. Kara. Kuna. Kung!"

"Uh, is it doing some kind of chant or somethin'?"

"Kung!" the cub squirmed out of Donkey's mouth and leapt out into the air, falling toward the ground and spinning like mad.

The sun caught her silver scales, which sparkled in the soft light.

But Donkey didn't care about how pretty things were—all he knew was that the baby had fallen, and he was going after it.

Not thinking about it twice, he jumped off of his vehicle's back.


	5. Chimera Song

In an instant, the dragon swooped down to grab her descending male friend and the squealing chimera cub.

Before she had met Donkey, Dalia had swiftly executed enough hopeful princess-rescuers that she had gotten bored with such quick kills and had settled to flying outside and playing with her prey above the lava pit, so it was with a certain degree of skill that she grabbed the chimera with a clawed maroon arm and 'grabbed' Donkey's fuzzy tail with her teeth.

She flew high up into the air, Donkey screaming like a baby and _the_ baby being still and quiet.

Then, she dropped Donkey.

Yelling like a maniac, he fell through the air, and she managed to swiftly fly under him. He thudded down onto her back, causing her to grunt and almost get the breath knocked out of her.

"What're you tryin' to do?! Kill me?!" Donkey wheezed, looking like he had just had the daylights scared out of him.

"Getting you on my back," she replied shortly, trying to swing the chimera toward him.

With slitted eyes, Donkey managed to catch the child in his teeth, not harming her.

The cub made no noise or movement, and when the pack animal saw why, he had to laugh. Heartily.

Crossly, as she headed toward the castle where the Genie was, Dalia muttered, "What is it _this_ time?"

"She fainted!" he snickered.

"Yes, well, your reaction wasn't much better," the dragon pointed out.

"Whaddaya mean?"

Looking even more exasperated than before, Dalia gestured indirectly at the pile of yellow liquid streaming down her back.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that," Donkey blushed. "A few minor urinary difficulties there."

"So I noticed," Dalia said dryly.

After a few tense moments of silence, the dragon landed, gently taking the unconscious chimera from Donkey and holding it gently in her jaws.

After Donkey helped her clean off her back, she quietly walked forward into the castle with a surprisingly silent Donkey behind her.

Soon, they stopped in front of the head suit of armor.

"Ha, you didn't—" the suit did a double-take, "—uh...you did."

"_Now_ can we take the cub back?" Dalia gritted.

Nodding quickly, the knightless suit waved them toward the exit, grumbling among his fellows. "I can't believe they did it..."

"Ni," someone nodded sadly.

It was in utter silence that Donkey mounted the unhappy dragon and took the motionless baby chimera.

The only noise was the swishing of her wings as she rose into the air. Before long, however, the chimera started to wake and moan, "Keymee..."

"It's okay, Little One," Dalia tried to soothe the cub as she craned her neck back. Tentatively, she spoke a few Chimeran words, which helped the little thing calm down a bit.

Donkey nuzzled the cub with his nose, praying that she wouldn't bite him again. All thoughts were gone when a haunting melody reached his ears.

"Chim mee. Chim ka keymee. Chim, kuna kung! Ger keymee poauns wu vaquer." The mournful song was soon accompanied by the sad image of a mentally hurt chimera, who was singing out her sorrow, her children joining her in quiet harmony.

Unable to help herself, Dalia roared, "Ger kuna kung paes chimme vaquer!"

Perhaps under other situations the chimera would have opened fire, but the mother saw that it would be dangerous to scorch those who held her child captive.

Dalia knew better than to rely on the chimera's hesitation for long, so she gently landed several yards away. The cub was placed onto the rocky ground, and the dragon quickly took flight.

The chimera was too ecstatic about the return of her baby to do anything else other than gallop over to the land-fish and sprinkle her with love.

Almost regretfully and jealously, Dalia took one last look at the reunited family before lethargically returning to the castle for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"I'm sorry," Donkey said under his breath on the way there.

"I am too," the dragon sighed. "Could you not feel her sadness?"

"I could...But it was for a good cause," the donkey said weakly, trying to defend their cause.

"To get a house built? I'd rather not have a house than ruin someone's life."

"We brought her back—"

"And probably took a few years off her mother's life!"

Donkey didn't reply, and soon they found themselves in the castle once again. They got past the grumbling suits easily this time, and they found themselves in front of an enormous door.

"Uh, should we knock?" Donkey tilted his head, and he lifted up a hoof in preparation, but the doors opened of their own accord.

They tentatively went inside the gigantic room, and the doors slammed behind them.

"I don't think I like this," Donkey moaned. Then he shrieked at the sight of the glowing red eyes that had just opened in the darkness.


	6. Genie

"Mwoo hah hah," the evil laughter came to their ears.

Yelling something about deranged demons, Donkey quickly slid across the floor to hide behind Dalia.

"I am the powerful Genie of Mercklekpleyfiddlinheer," the voice behind the ruby eyes rumbled.

"Meck-what?" Donkey peeked out from behind the dragon.

"Mercklekpleyfiddlinheer," the impatient voice informed him.

"Gezundheit!" the pack animal exclaimed.

"Thank you." The voice paused. As an afterthought, it added, "I am also the Genie of Christmas Past!"

"That's funny," Donkey said, "'cause so is he." The donkey pointed a hoof at a hooded and pathetic-looking genie/ghost that was off to the side and whose head had an uncanny resemblance to a certain 'ghost mask' that struck terror into movie watchers of three films. This genie/ghost, though, was "riding" on a stick-horse that, while it had a tail, was headless.

"Bah humbug," it offered.

"You incompetent fool!" The red eyes flashed.

Donkey frowned. "Now that's not very nice. You shouldn't go around callin' people names like that. I mean, how are you gonna get any friends?"

Dalia tried to make a shushing gesture by dragging a claw across her throat while he was speaking, but he paid her no heed.

The genie was quiet for a moment and then, finally, sniffling could be heard. "So that's what it is?...I—" he sobbed, "I always wondered w-why—" sniff "—no one would ever—" sniffle "—play c-cops and robbers with me, or m-make me a balloon animal like a poodle with a cute little tail, or t-t-toilet paper my bottle, or kiss my boo-boos when I was hurt, or play videogames with me, or play with little bitty cars and make all those cool noises, or—"

Donkey interrupted, "Okay, that's enough, man."

"Oh," the genie was sheepish. "Sorry. Guess I overdid it a little, eh?"

"And what's with all this darkness stuff? Most people are afraid of the dark!"

The room was suddenly filled with light, and they could see the genie for the first time. It was rather obvious why he kept it dark; he wouldn't frighten anyone in broad daylight.

To put it plainly, he looked like some sort of a treefrog.

He was green, with red, webbed frog-arms to match his eyes. His feet were non-existent—his body ended in a cloud of green smoke. A small yellow bottle with colorful stripes stood wildly behind him, as if daring anyone to insult it.

"Pffht," Donkey tried to control his laughter.

Dalia smacked the insensitive beast over the head, admonishing him, "Be nice!"

"See?" the frog/genie sniffled. "How am I supposed to make friends when I look like _this_?"

"I'm sure there are a few carnivores out there that wouldn't mind to—_Oof_!" Donkey was hit in the stomach by Dalia. Indignant, he whined, "What's the big idea?"

Ignoring him, the dragon spoke to the genie. "Do you give the holders of your lamp three wishes?"

The frog nodded. "Sadly, yes. You wouldn't _believe_ some of the wishes that have popped out of people's mouths."

"How about you help us, and then we help you?" Dalia suggested.

The frog thought about it. "Depends on what I have to do."

"It's simple, really."

* * *

Floating above its bottle, which was carefully set on the dragon's back, the frog-genie surveyed the swamp. "So, all I have to do is make a nice home for you guys here, and then I will be set free?"

Donkey nodded. "Egg-zactly."

"What about friendship?"

The mammal waved a hoof in the air. "Don't worry about it. There's plenty of frogs 'round these parts. You could hang out here! And us guys can have camp-outs! It'll be fun!"

The frog smiled shyly. "You would _really _use one of your wishes to set me free?"

"Shoo-err!" Donkey slurred.

"Well...Okay!"

Soon, Dalia had her claws grasped around the lamp, but Donkey seemed to want to be the one in charge. "Let me do it!"

"You don't have fingers," Dalia said patiently.

"What?!" Donkey's eyes widened and he looked down at his feet. "Ah, man. That bites!"

The lamp was soon rubbed, and the first wish was made.

The frog was not a typical genie, though, and rather than waving his arms or some such thing to cause the house to appear, the house came from his mouth.

The pair of wishers were too shocked to comment, instead standing and staring at the enormous castle.

After a moment of oohs and aahs, Donkey frowned. "Shrek ain't gonna like dis."

"No?" the frog sighed. "All right."

With a flash of smoke, the building was a lot smaller. Dalia gave it a skeptical look. "How am I supposed to fit in _there_?"

"It's magical," the frog explained, "and it changes size to accommodate whoever is coming inside, but it does not take up any more room than you see right now."

"Nice," Donkey cooed, admiring it.

Dalia smiled, "Now for your part of the deal..."

* * *

"Ribbit!"

Free! Free to hop, to run, to dance, to sing, to go to karaoke bars and bellow his heart out!

He no longer had to obey the wishes of other people! He was his own free spirit!

He finally had some spiffy legs to hop around on! He was one happy amphibian.

* * *

As for Donkey and Dalia, they were happy with their new home.

"Life's good," Donkey smiled. He was lounging on the bed with his eyes closed, his long ears spreading out behind him like a fan.

"Sure is," the dragon rumbled in agreement, inching closer to him.

"I could lie here all day."

"Indeed." Dalia brought her face down near Donkey's.

"The only thing that I can think of that would make it better right now is—"

A kiss.

Two different species in love sharing a moment of simple passion.

Love had no boundaries, as the donkey and dragon found out.

* * *

Shrek frowned at the sight of the house that had taken up some of the space in his precious swamp, but he entered his own dwelling with his wife, willing to wait to be enraged until he found out the reason his swamp was being cluttered.

A note on the table informed him:

_Will explain about the house later. We've eloped and are now on our honeymoon. Feel free to check out our new place. It's bigger on the inside than the outside, which is kind of necessary to fit a dragon in it._

_Donkey and Dalia (AKA Dragon)_


	7. Epilogue

When Donkey had once mentioned a "donkey fly," he had never thought that it could have actually been possible.

However, the moment he saw his child break through its shelled imprisonment he knew he was wrong.

The fairy had indeed helped him, for he and Dalia would not have been able to have a child had it not been for her intervention.

Donkey grinned at it, "Hey there!"

The part-dragon part-donkey newborn tilted its head and then spat at him and flew into the air with a squeal of delight.

Wiping his face onto his furry shoulder, Donkey smirked. "Fast learner. Just like his father."

Dalia rolled her eyes. Donkey certainly did not lack self-confidence. The ex-genie shared an exasperated glance with her, but there was humor in his gaze.

A green baby ogre toddled over to Dalia, pointing up, "Donkfly."

"That's right." Shrek picked the little girl up and swung her around. "Your Uncle Donkey has a flying son!"

"Careful," Fiona warned him. "Don't drop her."

"I'm not." The ogre rolled his eyes, whispering, "Your mother doesn't trust me."

The flying donkey/dragon soon came tumbling down, though, and Dalia rushed to break his fall. "Watch it," she admonished him.

"Donkfly," the little guy pointed at himself, repeating what Shrek and Fiona's daughter had said.

"Filly," the ogre child pointed at herself. Next, she pointed to the air, "Me fly?"

The donkey/dragon nodded. "Twy."

As the parents watched with hawk-eyes, the little ogre hopped onto the dragon/donkey's back. It took a moment, but they were soon up in the air, Dalia close behind with Donkey as a passenger to help supervise.

Giggling, the young ones started flying towards the sunset, the parents screaming after them to slow down and come back.


End file.
